Wheel hub units with a central nut may include a central hub provided with a flanged portion and an external threaded profile arranged at a free end opposite the flanged portion, a single nut provided with an internal threaded profile which is screwed, in such a way that it can be unscrewed, on the external threaded profile so as to clamp at least one wheel rim between itself and the flanged portion, and an anti-unscrewing element interposed between the central hub and the single nut to prevent accidental unscrewing of the single nut and the consequent risk of losing the wheel.
German patent application DE 10 2014 116 227 discloses a wheel hub unit with a central nut, in which both the free end of the central hub and the single nut have respective shaped profiles. In particular, the free end of the central hub is provided with a respective radially external shaped profile which is made axially on the external threaded profile, while the single nut is provided with a respective radially internal shaped profile which is made on the inside of the central nut in such a way that it axially overlaps the radially external shaped profile once the single nut is screwed onto the central hub.
German patent application DE 10 2014 116 227 also discloses an anti-unscrewing element comprising two respective shaped profiles, one radially internal and one radially external, axially aligned with one another in such a way as to simultaneously engage the radially external shaped profile of the central hub and the radially internal shaped profile of the single nut so as to prevent any possible rotation of the single nut, preventing it from becoming unscrewed accidentally.
Wheel hub units of the type described above are usually used preferably for sports tires, i.e. tires with a wide tread, and although the axial footprint, or the radial footprint, do not seem to be a very big technical problem, any reduction in the latter would result in a reduction in the weight of the wheel hub unit to the full benefit of a reduction in the suspended mass, the kinetic energy, as well as a saving on the materials used.